THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 139
the mysterious "Pate Herrison," prepared by Mrs. Durrant, an "odd pye"
made of the homely and succulent hedgehog (Erinaceus), which was partaken of
by some of the party.
Luncheon over, the company proceeded to the lane near the Vicarage to
inspect the Castle Hedingham pottery, where Mr Bingham and his son, working
alone and unassisted by any other hands, have for many years turned out vases,
puzzle-jugs, copies of antiques, plaques, models of the old Norman keep, etc.,
articles of beautiful and quaint design and of peculiar colouring that have attracted
the sympathetic attention of collectors and connoisseurs, and other works of more
general use. In one of the rooms of Mr. Bingham's house, "Volume xxxv."
(Mr. A. C. Freeman) read a paper, which was at once witty and informational,
upon art pottery, and Mr. Bingham himself gave a modest little sketch of the rise
and progress of his business.
So much interest was manifested by the members present in the inspection of
this little old-world-like factory that probably those who were absent will welcome
the reproduction of the following narrative, worthy of permanent record, of a
visit to the Pottery, copies of which, reprinted from the "Chelmsford Chronicle"
of October 29th, 1886, were handed to the visitors :—
"Castle Hedingham Pottery.
" Many visitors doubtless come to Hedingham and go away again ignorant of
the existence of one feature of interest which, though it cannot boast a place
among the antiquities, is yet not unconnected with things antique. The Heding-
ham Pottery Works will amply repay a visit.
" Having determined to give the worthy proprietor a call, and to inspect the
work carried on in this old-world little pottery, we enter the little gate in the lane
near the Vicarage, and are immediately confronted by a small glass-fronted show
case, in which are a few specimens of the articles produced in the works. We
make our way along a path beneath well-laden fruit trees, and, stopping before
the dwelling-house of the proprietor, ring a bell which we find outside. While
waiting for the appearance of some member of the household we glance around,
and on our left note an outhouse in which are specimens of the coarser kinds of
ware ; on our right, through an open door, we catch glimpses of pieces of ware of
a superior order. A large garden surrounds the buildings, and on an eminence at
the farther end we notice a collection of primitive looking buildings, which we
surmise to be the sheds in which the work of the potters is carried on. But the
bell has brought to our service a female member of the potter's family, who, in
answer to our inquiry for Mr. Bingham, the proprietor, politely requests us to
'follow the path to the right' (words, we afterwards think, which seem to be the
keynote of all that is attempted in the private and professional life of this family
of potters). The path to the right leads to a long, low building, the door of
which we open, and are almost rude enough to stand and gaze at the quaint pic-
ture that meets our eye before we return the courteous greeting of the proprietor,
who is engaged in adding some chastely-moulded ornament to a vase standing
before him. The walls of the shed and the beams seem every inch of them to be
covered with texts of Scripture having reference to potters and pottery, and
roughly written in chalk or on slips of paper ; with sketches embracing specimens
of pottery of all times and kinds ; with copies of old and curious inscriptions.
Several ancient engravings, dated 1610, of ancient Roman ware, catch the eye
over a doorway leading towards the kiln. At a wheel near the entrance sits Mr.